I'm interested in this medication. It's a transdermal (patch) MAOI (selegiline, a very old Alzheimer's medication), released this winter for depression. I haven't had much luck with SSRI/SNRI's. Has anyone talked to their primary care doctor or psychiatrist about this drug? I'm wondering what they think of it so far.

Hello.....no I haven't heard of this....but am doing the alternative...SAMe.......hope you find that this helps you....I'm wondering though....I have used the pain patches....and there were times they fell off....think I would be concerned about that with this type of patch.......just a thought.....are you using it yet?? ..........

The problem with MAOIs is that they require the patient to stay away from certain foods, and there's a lot of them. Without sticking to the diet though you can cause your blood pressure to rise, seizures or even death.

The good news about MAOIs is that they are known to be very effective on people who have a treatment resistant condition. So if that's you they maybe worth considering.

My psych wanted me to try MAOIs before, but when I explained that oft times when I'm feeling suicidal I wish I was already taking them so I could binge on the foods I'm not allowed we decided it wasn't a good idea. That's a decision you need to make. The good news is that from what I understand the lower strength patches don't require any dietary changes.

There was a thread a month or so ago called '[whatever] transdermal patches'. Nobody here had anything to say about them then either. At the end though I posted a link to a long thread on another forum. I don't know if the link is still there as I shouldn't have posted it, it should have been an instant ban (stupidly I hadn't read the rules then). You might want to look for it though.

Many of the foods once restricted are no longer a problem due modern day processing. There are actually no foods that I would ever eat that are restricted, absolutely none. Cheese is commonly considered dangerous, however, the types I would eat are not restricted, but I haven't eaten cheese in years anyway. Tap beer is also restricted, but if I ever do have the occasional beer, it is always from a bottle or can. I hate drinking tap. I don't eat pickled meats. I am in very good shape and don't have hypertension.

Well that's good if you don't eat any of those foods. I was given a list of the foods categorised into low, medium and high risk. I eat just about every food on that list and it would mean big changes to my diet. What's more alot of them are also what I'd eat on a happiness-binge when I'm feeling low, so the risk is just too high. But if it doesn't affect you very much, then that really is great.

Yeah our system is very different from your own. Personally (and I think this is typical in the UK) I have a GP and a psychiatrist. The GP is just like your family doctor. The GP initially refers a patient to the psychiatrist. The psychiatrist then talks to the patient and decides what meds are needed, which the GP then prescribes. I very rarely get to see the GP, every few months or so as he likes to see how I'm getting on. It's my psychiatrist which likes the MAOI for those with a treatment resistant condition, according to my GP he raves about them.

I hope that answers your question, if not just let me know. Are you treatment resistant by the way? If so perhaps it would help to take some research on MAOIs with treatment resistant conditions to your primary care pyhsician.

Well I'd do some research then and get some statistics. I'm the same as you, loads of side-affects but no benefits at all. The meds I'm on at the moment are the last available to me and there's no benefit again. My next hope is surgery.

Well I don't feel I'm anywhere near the option of surgery, I just need to get someone to be willing to work with me and let me try more than just SSRI/SNRI's. It seems like even specialists here are becoming more and more reluctant to prescribe anything other them.

I just got prescribed this yesterday and got samples. I've tried practically everything else with no luck, particularly for anxiety not depression. Even though they claim there are no interactions at the low dose I am prescribed (6 mg), I am 20 years old and in college, I don't want to base my life around a patch.

Who prescribed it? A general practitioner or a psychiatrist? What else have you tried and how long have you been trying to treat this? What kinds or responses and side efects have you had in the past? Did you suggest the patch or did your doctor? Yeah, I admit putting the patch on may be a little annoying, however, if it works, I'm sure it's worth the hassle. Let me know how it goes.

Last edited by jealibeanz; 07-14-2006 at 06:11 AM.
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How many years have you been in treatment? You definitely have tried more medications than I. I only see my family doctor and haven't had any luck with pdoc's or other doctors. I like my practitioner. He's very nice, friednly, and caring. I just hope he can give me the treatment I need. I don't know if he'd consider this, or or any other med than an SSRI. Did your doctor mention possible side effects? Insomnia, apathy, weight gain? I won't tolerate any!!!

I'm always surprised when some doctors are willing to keep trying to treat depression for years without major success, while others give up after a few failed trials. I've read so many mixed reviews about EMSAM, I don't know what to think, but I feel I'm a good candidate. I have treatment resisrent, atypical depression, along with anxiety.